Localhost errors

[Mick Morrison]

Hi all,

I'm very new to SQL and MAMP. I've never used ARK

I've followed the detailed installation guide on a mac using MAMP, except that I've used a more central user directory for the installation of PHPMyadmin and ARK (users/####/sites). I think I have made all of the necessary env settings, and I have listed the full directories there. 

MAMP, PHPinfo and phpmyadmin work fine, via localhost. I've created the database, set up a new user and imported the sql for ARK. 

Unfortunately, when I try the preflight_check.php (by browsing to http://localhost/ARK/config/preflight_checks.php) the server throws an error, 'the localhost page isn't working' with a generic http error 500. When I browse to localhost/ARK, it produces a blank page. ARK shows as a directory listing, that I can browse, when I go to localhost

So I seem to have made a mistake,but I have no clue as to where. Any thoughts? 

Thanks

Mick